Colonic irrigator



M 1941- D. F. cooM BS COLONIC IRRIGATOR Filed June 17, 1941 2 Sh eets-Sheet "1 INVENTOR gm 1. f. foo/27b:

Y E .N R O T T A Sept- 23, 1941- D. L. F. COOMBS 2,257,072

COLONIC IRRIGATOR Filed June 17, 1941' -2 Sheets-She'et 2 fl 'go 0 j INVENTOR ATTORIIQEY Patented Sept. 23, 1941 'UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- I a fazsmorzm f.

' COLONIC IRRIGATOR i I Dan L. F. Coombs, Kansas City, Mo;

, Application Junel'l, 1941, Serial No.:398,490.

' cclaims. (ar as-227')" I This invention relatesto irrigators and more particularly to irrigators employed for treating the anatomical colons, for example, of human beings; the principal objectoffthe invention being to provide a convenient, relatively eco-,

nomical 'and highly eflicient irrigator of the character noted. a r

Other. objects of the invention are to provide for applying a controlled supply of a. fluid and/ or ,a liquid and gas mixture," of which water. and air are examples,to a colon for, treatingtreating fluid on and inthe colon being treated;

to prevent pollution of supplies j of treating fluids; to prevent detrimental siphoning effects in the irrigator; to provide for entrapping' gas normally entrained in ,the'treati'ng liquid for maintaining a properly mixed'flu'id for treating the colon; and 'to provide improved e'lements and arrangementsthereof' in an' irrigato'rof the character and for the purposes, set forth.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the present invention, I'have provided improved .pipesgl and H are preferably provided above the mixing chamberqconnections to form :air cushions in the water lines and jmering-during flow."

details of structure, the preferred form of which is illustrated iln the accompanying drawings, wherein: a

- Fig.; 1 is a perspective viewofyan 'irrigator embodying the features 'of v the present invention. Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic "viewfof' a colon showing "the'manner of treating the same with my improved irrigator. i

Fig. 3 is'a front elevational view of the preferred piping arrangement of my improved irrigator, the cover-*housingtherefor being broken away.

valve and vacuum break forming a part of the present invention. v

Fig. 5 is *a "vertical cross-sectional view of an aspirator and'a needle valve' therefor, forming part of the present invention.

,Referring more in detail to the drawings:

I generally des'ignate's' an irrigator embodying the'features' of the present-invention, which preferably.v includes hot and cold water lines 2 and 3 leading. from a suitable-source of supply,

ne'edle'valve seats and/or unseats the same relag Fig.4 is a vertical sectional'vi'ew of a check such as city. water mains, not shown. The lines 2 and Sam preferably valved, as at 4 and u 5 and communicate with a mixing chamber 6,

that is controlled by an adjustable thermostatic preferably water.

From the thermostatically valved Lmixing chamber 6, a line I2 extends upwardly to'a suitable height, .a preferably gas pressure'sensitive thermometerl I3 being interposed in the line I2 to indicate the temperature ofthe tempered 310m flow'from the chamber 6 Avalve l4-controls. fiow through the. line l2 from the. mixing chamber 6,; from which ,valve M a pipe connection I5-extends further upwardly into a combination back pressurelcheck valve and vacuum breaking element I6,Fig. 4. .I-JIhe element l6 preferably includes a housing "having an inlet lg'l, in which the' connection l5 is'suitably engaged, leading past a valve: seat l8; to a lateral outlet 19. A valve 20 normally engages the seat IB', and lifts under fluidpressureto open the inlet I to the IOlltlBl), l9- and 'closethe air-port 2| above theivalve seat; The

port -21 normally. communicates the outlet l9 with an air chamber 22 in the housing-of the element l6, which is supplied [with air under atmospheric pressure through ducts .23, between the upper edge of the element housing and a h'ood'24; therefor. v v

A pipe c0nnecti0n25 preferably leadshor-izontally from the laterally arranged outlet! to the inlet 26 of an aspirator needle valvehousmg 21 that is provided with a head .28 having athre'aded passage f receivingvtheihleaded shank of a needle valve 29, this valve being vertically adjustable relative to a cap on the tiveto a seat'30 in a downwardly directed outlet 3| from the aspirator valve housingll, theoutlet v being provided with a further downwardlygextendingftube 32 that passes through a fchamber 33 in the aspirator-housing'fl and into the upper end "of a pipe connection 35. J

It is desirable to add a gas, preferably air, to the liquid, which llquidin this instance is housing chamber 33 is supplied, with air byv a line 36that' preferably extends laterally of said 1 chamber and communicates with the lateral connection 31 of a valve 38 for controlling admission ofx'air" to the line 36 and aspirator housing.

ThelOWer opening of the Valve 38 communicates with a T 39. The lateral opening of the T39 is provided with an air inlet, duct 40 that extends upwardlyzapproximately "to the height of the check valve and vacuum break.

prevent ham- To this end, the, aspirator lture thereof, v downwardly through the pipe connection; 35 to a sight tube 4 by which. the proper mixture tion'52 to serve as a caused by entrainment, [flows of gas and liquid may be" determined as by a characteristic spiral movement ofthe mixture.

g a 252575072 z: Gas having been applied to the liquid, the rnix the patient. From vthe "sight tube 65,'the flow passes through another preferably flexible tube 66 into thesewer' discharge outlet 5l.-

61 designatesa table or the like for supporting apatientxi'n proper position in relation to the flo'wvdisc harge outlet 44 and hydrostatic head The sighttube'may be provided with a suitable v evacuator, such as the pet-cock 42 illustrated.

From the sight tube M, the flow continues downwardly through a pipe connection :43 toga discharge outlet 44; that is preferably controlled bya valve 45. I h V- T Ithas been found desirable, in maintaining: a proper gas and liquid mixture in the flow, to 7 provid a trap 46, preferably formed by a downwardly and then upwardly turned continuation of the pipe connection 43, the latter'then ex tendinglupwardly, as at 41, to establisha col- H umn of 'fiuid constituting a substantiallyg-vconstant hydrostatic head of pressure on the flow'a't thedischarge outlet for the flow andfbeing cpro'vided withafitting-IB at its upper end ileadingi-toan oyerfiow pipe 49. It"has been found supporting the table 61; 'a' satisfactory heightforthe table is inches. 7 V I Y68 designates a suitable cabinet to house the pip fittings and certain of the valves, which cabinet may be and preferably is, mounted on a backboardBB of suitablecharacter which'latter maybe suitably mounted for support on a' wall or the like in a clinic, for exampleQin which that a suitable distance between the-fitting]! anddischarge is approximately forty-two (42) -inches.""I he--overflow pipe preferably communi- I cates at its upper end with-a pipe corinection 50 Ileadin'g to thelower opening ofth'e T-'39,thence to atmosphere through -"the duct 40, the pressure 7 I [of the atmosphere 'preventingsiphoningaction thattmight normally be caused by overfiowJ 'I'hjeqoverfiowpipe 49' leadsdownwardly;toa 1 sewer. dischargeoutlet Hand is then'p'r'eferably provided with an-upwardly extending "continuaprecautionar'y' overflow pipe" should the sewer become "stopped from any cause and-thus' ob'viating the danger of' excess gback -ipressures against the proper flow of mixed'iluid. With the construction th'us far 'described,;i t is apparent-thata flow of air and water maybe- "and fs controlled in such a manner that'the ternof pressure thereon. This relation preferably is alslightlyhigher plane for theftable than the discharge outlet. For example if the discharge outlet is twenty-six: (26) inches above the vfloor approximately twenty-eight (28) this pp tus is espe cially designed t be 1 bated.

The operation of an apparatus"constructedf as described, is as follows:

0t and lcold water areadmitted in controlled quantities toZthef niixing chan ber jand' rise m Q "a column under valved c'ontrolto the checkv'alye 1 and vacuumbreak, thence latera llyjpasttheneedle valve andthen"downwardlymfiilbrain' controlled quantities of air'therein. ,7

n the mixed Water n i now. passes throiih fffth slgh t tube it its characterflmaybe determined an gquirernentsp h l. Continued downwardflowof theiiuid;assuin-,- ing'the dischargegoutlet' valve '4 5'to'beclose'd,

" carries the flow beyond'iSikh.discharge'thro'ugh the' tr'ap 46, then upwardlyjinto a';hyd'ro'static:

head pressure forming col'uinn'andfinally tothe {overflow pipe and" to the sewer; siphoning 41 acperature; pressure, back-flow, mixture, stabiliza- 'maxi'mum', -the flow is infa condition suitable for application;preferably by a trained attendant, to the'colon of a patient undergoing treatment fln' 'order to properly apply such flow, a pref-' ferably fiexible'tube 53 is .applied't'o the flow,;'discharge outlet 44; which j'tube leads to a preferfably curved inlet connection 54 to a centralpas- I the outlet v of obturator 56, the Outer nozzlesend "gwhe're, for example, the distance is fortytwo -"(42 )n' inches'between thedischarget andfitting 18; a 'satisfactoryand thepreferablelength of the; tube 6| is also forty-two (42), inches; 4 'jf The end of the flexible tube 6|, remote from the obturator, is preferably provided with a .valve ,62 that inay. be and preferably is, "supported by is applicable to the 'opening 58 atthe colon '59 and ,thelinner end of which is connected, as at 60, withan-end of v a flexibletube 6|,preferably of greater innerj di- ;.a1net'e'rjth an the inner diameterof the tube 1 5 3;

"tion of 'suchmixture, and a suitablestatic pres- 7 tion meanwhile being obviated .-by,'atmosphric pressuregacting through the air ducts 4.11 and 50. j When the v'alve-fi ls-opened, ,the;fiow,sub-. lstantially-in its entirety, passes through the tube 53 to the nozzle opening of "the obturator I and/or flow is through theiztube tr, sighttiubesfiiand tubejjiififto the sewer, .discharge outlet 5] i I closed and the; obturator applied to the colon;

1: mixture. "Ifhe ,valve,. is then closed to establish the fluid mixture, due'to l coverred in .connection with a stand ii having a bracket 64 thereon, which j inturni supports a sight tube 65 by which the how and contents thereof may be examined to 1 an 11; determining the: pathological condition' of It is then preferable-for a closed 'circllitloif fplibperlyamixed jluid' under" attendant to manthe gflexible" tubef G LL-tocause a disturbance in An extraordinary;phenomenon has beet es-1 the operation-just above desci'ibed, whil e theactual-lengths of the colon being treatedfand :considerably, thoselengths are related in: that 6| causes a corresponding of the colon" proportional constricting pressure at anyportion;throughout' a the le t vth'et b reaction at the portion in distance from the obturator, to 4the distance fromthe obturator oflthe constricted-portion of "the tube,- ,Thus when the tube'6 l is manually squeezed at-theipoint-A, asuindicated in Fig. 2; which maybeat a point representingapproxi- 1 d controlled accordance with; re-

When the obturator nozrhythmically squeeze the compressibility: of

the, air in themixture and thus causea mas 'saging effect tobeapplied to the'interiorof-the mately two-thirds /3) of the length of the tube, the colon is acted upon at a point B approximately two-thirds up the total length of the colon.

After the colon has been massaged and, in effect, scoured, the valve 52 is opened and the flow 7 passed through the sight tube 65 for examination. The flow then passes through the tube 66 to the sewer for discharge and suitable disposition.

It is apparent, therefore, that I have provided a convenient, relatively economical, efilcient, safe and sanitary colonic irrigator that is admirably suited for the purposes for which it was designed.

What I claim and desire to'secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an apparatus of the character described, a mixing chamber, means for supplying hot and cold water to said mixing chamber, means for elevating the water from the mixing chamber in a column, a combination check valve and vacuum break substantially at the upper end of said column, means for conveying the water laterally of said combination valve and break, a valve housing for receiving said laterally conveyed water having a needle valve and an aspirator associated therewith, means for supplying the aspirator with air for entrainment in said water, means leading the water with air entrained therein downwardly, and a discharge outlet at the lower end of said last named water leading means.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, a mixing chamber, means for supplying hot and cold water to said mixing chamber, means for elevating the water from the mixing chamber in a column, a combination check valve and vacuum break substantially at the upper end of said col-' umn, means for conveying the water laterally of said combination valve and break, a valve housing for receiving said laterally conveyed water having a needle valve and an aspirator associated therewith, means for supplying the aspirator with air for entrainment in said water, means leading the water with air entrained therein downwardly, a discharge outlet at the lower end of said last named water leading means and an extension on said last named water leading means having a trap therein for causing air to be retained in the water.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, a mixing chamber, means for applying hot and cold water to said mixing chamber, means for elevating the water from the mixing chamber in a column, a combination check valve and vacuum break substantially at the upper end of said column, means for conveying the water laterally of said combination valve and break, a valve housing for receiving said laterally conveyed water having a needle valve and an aspirator associated therewith, means for supplying the aspirator with air for entrainment in said water, means leading the water with air entrained downward ly, a discharge outlet at the lower end of said last named water leading means, and an extension on said last named water leading means hav: ing a trap therein for causing air to be retained in the water, said extension being directed upwardly to form a column of water and air for establishing a predetermined hydrostatic head of pressure on said air and water at said discharge outlet.

4. In an apparatus of the character described, a mixing chamber, means for supplying hot and cold water to said mixing chamber, means for elevating the water from the mixing chamber in a column, a combination check valve and vacuum break substantially at the upper'end of said column, means *for conveying the'water laterally'ot said combination valve and break, 'a valve housing for receiving said laterally conveyed water having a needle valve and an aspirator associated therewith, means for supplying the aspirator with air for entraimnent in said water, means leading the water with air entrained therein downwardly, a discharge outlet at the lower end of said last named water leading means, an extension on said last named water leading means having a trap therein for causing air to be retained in the water, said extension being directed upwardly to form a column of water and air for establishing a predetermined hydrostatic head of pressure on said air and water at said discharge outlet, a downwardly directed connection at the upper end of said extension forming an overflow connection, and a sewer discharge outlet connected with said overflow connection.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, a mixing chamber, means for supplying hot and cold water to said mixing chamber, means for elevating the water from the mixing chamber in a column, a combination check valve and vacuum break substantially at the upper end of said column, means for conveying the water laterally 01 said combination valve and break, a valve housing for receiving said laterally conveyed water having a needle valve. and an aspirator associated therewith, means for supplying the aspirator with air for entrainment in said water, means leading the water with air entrained therein downwardly, a discharge outlet at the lower end of said last named water leading means, an ex- 7 tension on said last named water leading means having a trap therein for causing air to be retained in the water, said extension being directed upwardly to form a column of water and air for establishing a predetermined hydrostatic head of pressure on said air and water at said discharge outlet, a downwardly directed connection at the upper end of said extension forming an overflow connection, a sewer discharge outlet connected with said overflow connection, and an extension on said over-flow connection directed upwardly relative to said sewer discharge outlet forming an auxiliary discharge outlet for said overflow connection. I

6. In an apparatus of the character-described, a mixing chamber, means for supplying hot and cold water to said mixing chamber, means for elevating the water from the mixing chamber in a column, a combination check valve and vacuum break substantially at the upper end of said column, means for conveying the water laterally of said combination valve and break, a valve I housing for receiving said laterally conveyed water having a needle valve and an aspirator associated therewith, means for supplying the aspirator with air for entrainment in said water,

means leading the water with air entrained therein downwardly, a discharge outlet at the lower end of said last named water leading means, an extension on said last named water leading means having a trap therein for causing air to be retained in the water, said extension being directed upwardly to form a column of water and air for establishing a predetermined hydrostatic head of pressure on said air and water at said discharge outlet, adownwardly directed.

a yinlei; connectel'ijiwitfi said tubeand having-a 5 sight tube leading to sa nozzle and an outlet, a flexible tube connected: V

with'the outlet of said obturator, a valve for said flexible tube,- a sight tube connected with said flexible tube, and a tube connected with said i id sewer discharge outlet) DAN L. F. COOMIBS.- 

